In industry, ethanol is generally produced by starch fermentation or ethylene hydration:
1. Starch fermentation method
2. Ethylene hydration method
CH2═CH2 + H─OH→C2H5OH(The reaction is carried out in two steps, the first is to form an organommercury compound in a water-tetrahydrofuran solution with mercury salts such as mercury acetate, and then reduce it with sodium borohydride)